Defects in the flavoprotein, glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase (GCD), cause glutaric aciduria type I (GA1), an autosomal recessively inherited neurometabolic disorder. GCD catalyzes the alpha, beta dehydrogenation of glutaryl-CoA by a mechanism which is common along acyl-CoA dehydrogenases. GCD also catalyzes the decarboxylation of the enzyme- bound intermediate, glutaconyl-CoA, to crotonyl-CoA and CO2. Decarboxylation of glutaconyl-CoA requires oxidation of the dehydrogenase flavin and protonation of the proposed crotonyl-CoA anion (-CH2=-CH=-CH=-COSCoA). In patients with defects in GCD, the onset of neurological symptoms in GA1 patients usually follows a viral injection early in life. Over 50 missense mutations have been identified that may affect oxidation and decarboxylation of glutaryl-CoA. These mutations may also affect assembly or stability of the tetramer, the oxidation-reduction potential of the dehydrogenase flavin or reoxidation of the dehydrogenase flavin by electron transfer flavoprotein (ETF). The proposed research has the following specific aims. [1] A number of mutant alleles will be expressed and the defective proteins characterized by kinetic and redox methods to access the basis of the enzymatic defects. [2] We will investigate the coupling of glutaryl-CoA oxidation with decarboxylation/protonation of the enzyme bound intermediate, glutaconyl-CoA, using site directed mutations hypothesized to uncouple these steps in catalysis. The crystal structure of GCD with a bound glutaryl-CoA analog and with the reaction intermediate, glutaconyl-CoA, will be determined to provide insight into the decarboxylation reaction. [3] We will investigate the decarboxylation of glutaconyl-CoA directly and define the roles of specific amino acids in the reaction. The participation of the 2'-hydroxyl of the ribityl side chain of the FAD prosthetic group in stabilization of decarboxylation/protonation intermediates will also be determined.